Peco code 75 long crossing, frog wires and DCC concepts digital IP point motors

[garyd8004]

Hello,

I am fairly new to the railway modelling world and am building a dcc controlled layout.  I am in the process of building a junction which is controlled by DCC Concepts digital ip point motors. I am installing a Peco Streamline SL-E194 code 75 long crossing and have been attempting to use the attached document from DCC concepts website, however I am a little puzzled..... the crossing appears to have 4 silver wirs underneath it (2 either side of the centre, by/at the frogs). The diagram from DCC Concepts only shows the wiring for 2 of these wires or am I reading it wrongly in that both wires on either side of the frogs are wired as one ??

 

Any help greatly appreciated and apologies if this is so simple that I should know !!

 

Cobalt-iP-Digital-and-Double-Junction.pdf

[Jamie Smith]

Hi,

 

Is this an Electrofrog point? I assume so based on the model number.

If this is anything like the 4 way slip, then my guess would be the two (at the ends) by the frog rails would be for frog switching and the other two (centre) will be for the power?

[ITG]

Must be electro frog if OP has quoted part number SLE correctly. So seems to me they would be for frog switching (ah - just seen Jamie’s post)

Edited May 10, 2020 by ITG

[Joseph_Pestell]

3 hours ago, garyd8004 said:

Hello,

I am fairly new to the railway modelling world and am building a dcc controlled layout.  I am in the process of building a junction which is controlled by DCC Concepts digital ip point motors. I am installing a Peco Streamline SL-E194 code 75 long crossing and have been attempting to use the attached document from DCC concepts website, however I am a little puzzled..... the crossing appears to have 4 silver wirs underneath it (2 either side of the centre, by/at the frogs). The diagram from DCC Concepts only shows the wiring for 2 of these wires or am I reading it wrongly in that both wires on either side of the frogs are wired as one ??

 

Any help greatly appreciated and apologies if this is so simple that I should know !!

 

Cobalt-iP-Digital-and-Double-Junction.pdf 368.64 kB · 8 downloads

 

Not a silly question. Many others have wondered about this.

 

You need to look at it holistically. To route a train across the diamond, you will have to switch a turnout. So you link the wires coming from the diamond to the terminals of the turnout motor (or the frog switcher) to change the polarity in just the same way as you would change the polarity of the turnout frog. 

[Pete the Elaner]

1 hour ago, ITG said:

Must be electro frog if OP has quoted part number SLE correctly. So seems to me they would be for frog switching (ah - just seen Jamie’s post)

Code 75 was mentioned too. Peco do not make code 75 insulfrog pointwork.

[Joseph_Pestell]

1 hour ago, Pete the Elaner said:

Code 75 was mentioned too. Peco do not make code 75 insulfrog pointwork.

 

The diamonds and slips used to be available in both. But I may be out-of-date on this.

[BMS]

Yo are not thinking of Code 100 are you; code 75 is fairly new.

[Joseph_Pestell]

10 minutes ago, BMS said:

Yo are not thinking of Code 100 are you; code 75 is fairly new.

 

Nearly 30 years now!

 

Just checked my own stocks and I have 2 SL-194 (dead frog Code 75 diamond). And I found SL-180 (dead frog Code 75 single slip) on sale in a Google search.

Edited May 10, 2020 by Joseph_Pestell

[Harlequin]

Hi Gary,

 

Use a multimeter or a continuity tester to find out what rails are connected to what dropper and work it out from there.

That way you’ll know for sure what you’re dealing with.

 

[Pete the Elaner]

4 hours ago, Joseph_Pestell said:

 

The diamonds and slips used to be available in both. But I may be out-of-date on this.

 

Good point (pun intended). I have avoided crossings for a while so my mind was thinking along the lines of pointwork.

[newbryford]

The diagram only shows the frog wiring/switching.

As the diamond has four wires - two will be unswitched track feeds  - the red and blue rails in the diagram - these will be connected directly to the DCC bus.

Two are frogs - the green wires in the diagram - these will require switching via the point motors as per the diagram.

 

As an aside - I wonder - was the diamond originally produced with only two wires at the frog and outer feeds have been added on later production?

 

I cannot recall that the first produced Code 75 points (mediums) had any attached wires for frogs either.

I did build one of the first layouts using Code 75 on the exhibition circuit, way back in 1991/1992!

 

 

[Joseph_Pestell]

8 hours ago, newbryford said:

The diagram only shows the frog wiring/switching.

As the diamond has four wires - two will be unswitched track feeds  - the red and blue rails in the diagram - these will be connected directly to the DCC bus.

Two are frogs - the green wires in the diagram - these will require switching via the point motors as per the diagram.

 

As an aside - I wonder - was the diamond originally produced with only two wires at the frog and outer feeds have been added on later production?

 

I cannot recall that the first produced Code 75 points (mediums) had any attached wires for frogs either.

I did build one of the first layouts using Code 75 on the exhibition circuit, way back in 1991/1992!

 

 

 

Just taken a look at my thirty year old "new" Code 75 turnouts. You are right that there are no wires attached.

[garyd8004]

Hi, and thank you to everyone that's posted responses.  I can confirm that the crossing is a code 75 electrofrog. I have read the comments and have something to try out now as a result, so will keep you informed

 

Many thanks

 

Regards

 

Gary

 

[jaym481]

I'm just in the process of installing the Peco code 75 long crossing with DCC Concepts iP Digital as well. I was happy to see the document Gary attached above. Unfortunately DCC Concepts' on-line advice library doesn't seem to have it, and the document with crossing wiring shows the Cobalt Classic, which has different connections. In any case, I'm glad you posted that Gary. If you are able to add the results of your installation, especially if you encountered any issues, I'm sure others like me searching would appreciate it.

 

Regarding the SL-E194 the four wires are one for each frog, and two for track power. It took me a few minutes trying to trace the wires to figure that out. 

 

So, in summary, I'm going to try this:

 

All crossing joints isolated. Power feeds to the crossing using the wires provided. Frog feeds as provided. 

Cobalt iP digital works the point that enters the crossing. Track power connected at the usual DCC terminals, as well as at the S2-L and S2-R terminals. Frog dropper for the lead-in point connected to the frog terminal, and frog dropper for the furthest crossing frog connected to same. Frog dropper for crossing frog nearest the point connected to the S2-C terminal. 

 

Hopefully all works fine first try, but that would not be my usual result, so as necessary the track feeder wires to the cobalt will be swapped if shorts occur.

 

If anyone sees a flaw with this, please don't hesitate.

[melmerby]

Bear in mind that ideally there should be an interlock between the two turnouts, such that the one turning through the diamond (Left Point) cannot be operated in isolation. I.e. the other (Right Point) must also operate, else trying to drive straight through the diamond on the right track will not work.

Using the Right Hand point in isolation is OK

[jaym481]

In my case there's only one point, though the wiring of the frogs is the same as the diagram. It works fine, I just finished hooking everything up today and it's all good. My setup is a loop, so when the points are set to send a train through the diamond there will be no train coming the other route.